Jamie Cureton Praises Mick Harford's Coaching and Chris Barker and Speculates about Other Colchester Players Moving

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Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times - June 12, 2007 - Rangers can take the Mick

Jamie Cureton fears Mick Harford may lure more Colchester players to Loftus Road if he is appointed as QPR's assistant manager.
Rangers were granted permission on Sunday to speak to Harford, who is currently Colchester's number two, about replacing Richard Hill as John Gregory's assistant.
Harford's arrival at QPR has already been preceded by that of left-back Chris Barker, who spent last season on loan with the U's, and ex-Rangers striker Cureton predicts others will follow.
"I spoke to Lee Cook on Monday to find out if what I'd heard was true and I told him Mick would be a big asset to the club," Cureton told the Times.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he gives John Gregory tips about some of the other lads - not necessarily myself though! It's a shame that when you've started to build something, other clubs come and take bits away, but that shows how hard it is to compete.
"Obviously we've already lost Chris. He's a seven out of 10 player week in, week out, very consistent and he'll definitely strengthen the club - I'd say Rangers have got a great signing there.
"If Mick goes, he'll be a big loss to Colchester and a very good addition to QPR. He was good to me last season and I'll miss him."
Cureton has undoubtedly flourished under the guidance of Harford, who was assisting U's boss Geraint Williams last year after spells in charge of Rotherham and Nottingham Forest, the latter as caretaker.
After Rangers released the striker in 2005, he struggled in League One with Swindon and only regained form when he joined promotion-bound Colchester on loan.
But Cureton took the Championship by storm last season, finishing as the division's top scorer with 28 goals, and gives Harford plenty of credit for the turnaround.
"He doesn't only coach the forwards - he seems to know about every area on the pitch and he's certainly knowledgeable about all the teams in the Championship," said Cureton.
"Before games he'd come and give me the lowdown on the centre-halves we were playing against and I think that probably helped me a hell of a lot.
"Mick's a good talker and he gets on well with the boys. He doesn't need to rant and rave because he's got that aura where people are a bit scared of him anyway, but when he says something, you listen.
"He's one of the reasons why everyone performed to the maximum - we didn't have the best squad in the world, but we felt we were capable of getting results."
In his playing days, Harford, now 48, was a much-travelled and respected centre-forward with 10 League clubs, including Birmingham City, Luton, Derby, Chelsea and Wimbledon.

It seems inevitable that he will take over from Hill, who was suspended by Rangers in February over his role in the infamous training ground punch-up with the Chinese Olympic team.
Hill will go when his contract runs out, while goalkeeping coach Tony Roberts - also suspended by Rangers since February - will not be returning to Loftus Road.
But the club are also likely to offer Warren Neill, who assisted Gregory in the last two months of the season, a permanent role on the coaching staff, possibly as reserve team manager. Kilburn Times